Cook’s Kitchen – Storm Hands I

In my absence from combo I’ve been paying more attention to other The E.P.I.C. Storm (TES) pilots over the last few weeks. I’ve noticed something. The people I have watched had no clue of even the basics of playing storm. Storm Hands is going to be a recurring article series in order to educate these TES players.

This is my most current list of The EPIC Storm, it’s important to know what we’re working with to make the proper decisions. This article is going to include five basic hands. Let’s dive-in!
Hand I – TES is on the play against an unknown opponent.
Opening Hand: Gitaxian Probe, Gitaxian Probe, Brainstorm, Dark Ritual, Rite of Flame, Lion’s Eye Diamond, and Lion’s Eye Diamond.

This hand is very questionable, lacking an initial mana source. This hand is the definition of risk versus reward. However, if the deck manages to hit both a mana source and a business spell off the initial cantrips, it’s very likely for a turn one or two kill. Honestly, I’m pretty loose with my mulligan decisions. I’d probably run this hand. Some of you would mulligan. I’d understand either decision.
Gitaxian Probe (18 life – Storm 1), draw Silence.
Gitaxian Probe (16 life – Storm 2), draw Gemstone Mine.
Play Gemstone Mine, tap Gemstone (2 counters remaining) to cast Brainstorm (Storm 3). Draw Burning Wish, Underground Sea, Dark Ritual.

You’re most likely to put Silence back first because on the following turn, if you’re willing to combo off, it’s not castable in the current situation. Then any card you’d like to draw on top. Most likely the Burning Wish to avoid it being discarded. If the opponent is playing discard, it’s wise to play the Lion’s Eye Diamonds immediately. However, in this test run we’ll save them for Storm count.
Pass the turn.
Untap, draw Burning Wish.
Play Underground Sea, tap Gemstone Mine (1 counter remaining), play Rite of Flame.

You play Ponder first over Brainstorm because it allows you to see the most cards possible. It’s also why I lead with Gitaxian Probe, aside from the additional Storm and no mana cost.
Brainstorm (RRBB – Storm 10), draws Burning Wish, Rite of Flame, Gemstone Mine.
Put Silence and Gemstone Mine on top.
Cast Duress (RRB – Storm 11), take whatever,
Follow up with the pair of Rite of Flames (RRRRRRRB – Storm 13)

I would mulligan this hand, despite keeping a very risky hand 1. This hand, even if it draws a land, doesn’t have a turn one or two kill in its future.
Opening Hand after first Mulligan: Brainstorm, Polluted Delta, Lotus Petal, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Rite of Flame, and Empty the Warrens.

Keep.
Draw Duress for turn.
Play Polluted Delta and break it for an Underground Sea (19 life).
Tap Underground Sea, cast Brainstorm (Storm 1).
Draw Chrome Mox, Gemstone Mine, and Gitaxian Probe.
Put Gemstone back first and then Empty the Warrens on top of your Library.

Not an all-star hand by any means, but it’s keep-able.
Scalding Tarn and crack it for an Underground Sea (19 life).
Tap Underground Sea, cast Ponder (Storm 1)
Look at Ponder, City of Brass, and Duress. Draw City of Brass, with Duress on top.

Imprinting Ponder allows for recurring blue mana without a drawback I can use for additional digging after I make Goblins. Also, Rite of Flame has more value in the graveyard.
Dark Ritual (BBB – Storm 3)
Then cast Lion’s Eye Diamond (BBB – Storm 4)
Follow it with Infernal Tutor! Use the Chrome Mox for colorless (BB – Storm 5)
Use the Lion’s Eye Diamond in response for red (BBRRR – Storm 5)
Empty the Warrens for 12 Goblins (B – Storm 6).
Pass the turn.

Opponent untaps, reveals Forked Bolt to Delver of Secrets
Opponent draws and lays down Tropical Island
Then casts Ponder, tapping Tropical Island
The opponent casts Forked Bolt killing two Goblin Tokens followed by an attack for three bringing TES to 17 life.

Untap and draw Scalding Tarn
Attack with the ten remaining Goblin tokens bringing the opponent to 9 life
Pass the turn

Opponent lays another Tropical Island and plays Tarmogoyf, tapping the two non-Volcanic Islands. Attacks for three bringing TES to 14 life.

Untap and draw Rite of Flame.
Attack with the ten remaining Goblin tokens, a Goblin becomes a Lightning Bolt target. The attacks brings the opponent to 1 life.
The opponent untaps, draws a card and attacks out for seven damage. Then concedes.
Hand V – TES is on the play against RUG Delver/Canadian Threshold.
Opening Hand – Gemstone Mine, City of Brass, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Lotus Petal, Duress, Silence, and Infernal Tutor.

A pretty damn good hand, though it’s a little slow. It could use a Dark Ritual or two.
Gemstone Mine, Duress (Storm 1)

I like to lead with the worst land against tempo decks, it ensures if they have a Wasteland it’ll usually hit your worst land.

I tap Gemstone because it looks like we’re getting low on life and it looks like the route to victory is Ad Nauseam.
Play and activate Scalding Tarn (12 life) for Volcanic Island.
Pass the turn.

I pass the turn here because if I play both Rite of Flames the chances are that one of them gets Spell Pierced. If that happens there’s not enough colored mana to win through a Force of Will.
Opponent untaps, draws, and attacks with both Nimble Mongoose and Tarmogoyf for four damage (8 life), passes the turn.

Untap, draw Silence.

I think the best way of winning here is to use the opponent for Storm.
Tap Volcanic Island, Rite of Flame (RR – Storm 1)
Rite of Flame (RRRR – Storm 2)

Opponent untaps, draws (a total of two unknown cards)
Replays the land from Daze and attacks with both creatures.

We haven’t seen any Lightning Bolts. I don’t want to risk losing to them.
Block both creatures.
Opponent Lightning Bolts a different goblin to give Nimble Mongoose threshold
(17 Goblins remaining)
One card remaining in the opponents’ hand.

Untap, draw City of Brass.
Attack with thirteen Goblins, leaving four back.

This allows TES to live through an extremely timely Forked Bolt.
The opponent untaps, draws, and casts Ponder. Then concedes.
Here are three hands for you to try!
Opening Hand 1 – Brainstorm, Lion’s Eye Diamond, Chrome Mox, Infernal Tutor, Duress, Duress, and Lotus Petal.

2 thoughts on “Cook’s Kitchen – Storm Hands I”

I would like to see articles like this with more intricate gamestates and opponent’s hands. These were all basically the retards guide to epic storm, granted it is the first in the series. I would love to see these get very in depth kind of similar to doomsday puzzles.